Pushing Re-Start

As I was spending time with the Lord yesterday I read about Elijah.  In Streams in the Desert I read "Elijah was a man like us yet he prayed earnestly"  In Greek, the literal meaning of this is "Eljah prayed in prayer"  He was a man who prayed continually.  When the drought was going on and Elijah was praying for rain, 1 Kings says that Elijah put his face between his knees and prayed.  He prayed in faith and he never stopped praying.

As I read about Elijah and journaled and prayed I felt convicted about my own prayer life, my own faith.  I am struggling in life right now.  I am struggling for joy, for contentment, for hope.  I feel burdened by my own life, my future, the unknowns.  I feel burdened for my friends who are going through really hard things right now.  So much of me feels hopeless and defeated and wants to crawl under the covers and escape.  I want to escape life's dissapointments, the brokenness around me, the hurt and pain, and everything that feels hard.  But Jesus never said life is going to be easy.  In fact, he said quite the opposite.  Yet he gives us hope.  "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  I have to remind myself that the Lord is so much greater than any burden we must face in this life.  He is perfectly in control and we will not be defeated. 


And so instead of escaping, I really want to enter into a season of prayer.  I want to remove the distractions of my life, put my face between my knees and cry out to my Father who is above all things, in all things, and holds all things together.  The God who does not change in a world that is constantly changing.  I want to pray earnestly for my friends. I want to pray for my life and what the Lord would have for me right now and in the future.  I need guidance right now.  I need hope. I need peace.  I need Jesus! 

I feel like I need to push the re-start button. I want to be disciplined with setting aside specific time during the month of May to really be in prayer, to meet with the Lord.  I have set specific goals for myself for this next month to help me re-group.  I am getting off facebook and twitter for the month. I am going to stop reading blogs for the month. I want to rid myself of distractions that are a stumbling block for me and those things are.  I can constantly compare my life to others on the internet and within moments go from feeling really great about where the Lord has me to filling completely dissatisfied.

So here is to a month of praying in expectation, praying in faith, and meeting with the one who holds my life in the palm of his hand.  I'll still be blogging on my blog, so check back for updates throughout May!

"But I trust in you, oh Lord; I say 'you are my God my times are in your hands'" Psalm 31:14

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you shoudl go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:8

 Jeremiah 32:17 "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." 

"Let your sight bring you reports as discouraging as possible, but pay no attention to them. Our heavenly Father lives, and even the delays of answers to our prayers are part of his goodness". Arthur Tappan Pierson

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

"Lord I need you" lyrics